CALIFORNIA RESEARCH BUREAUCALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARYStudies in the News

California -- One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago

January 1, 1857 - "In the State of California an appropriation is badly needed for a survey of a wagon road across the Sierra Nevada mountains, but there are here also three routes, the Northern, Middle, and Southern; and each believing its route the best, insists upon the survey being made, and appropriation spent, upon their route -– unable to accomplish this, they defeat the whole.... No one doubts that a liberal appropriation of money or of public lands by the General Government, ought to insure the construction of this Railroad, but the proposition carries the elements of its destruction with it; it is the house divided against itself; it cannot be done ... if the opposing interest is powerful enough to defeat it. A Practical Plan for Building the Pacific Railroad (Jaunuary 1, 1857)" http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist4/practical.html

January 1, 1857 - " A wagon road is indispensable... It will induce settlers to come in and locate upon its line, knowing for a certainty that, in a few years, the Railroad will be built, when they will be properly located. Farms will be laid out, fenced in, and farmers will commence raising grain, cattle, and all the necessities requisite to feed those employed in constructing the Railroad; they will be sure of finding a market for their produce without being obligated to haul it hundreds of miles. Little villages will spring up at points, where it is proposed to have depots; and when the time comes for building the Railroad, instead of finding a wilderness inhabited by savage or hostile Indians, it will have been transformed into a country of life and animation, teeming with all the results of culture and civilization; here they will find rich farms, well stocked with all the necessaries of life, cultivated by a band of thrifty western farmers, with their churches and their school-houses -– is it doubted? California is not yet ten years old, yet seven years ago its present state would have been doubted." APractical Plan for Building the Pacific Railroad (Jaunuary 1, 1857) " http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist4/practical.html

Studies in the News is a very current compilation of items significant to the Legislature and Governor's Office. It is created weekly by the
State Library's Research Bureau to supplement the public policy debate in California’s Capitol. To help share the latest information with
state policymakers, these reading lists are now being made accessible through the State Library’s website. This week's list of current
articles in various public policy areas is presented below.

Service to State Employees:

When available, the URL for the full text of each item is provided.

California State Employees may contact the State Information & Reference Center
(916-654-0206;
cslsirc@library.ca.gov) with the SITN issue number and the item number [S#].

All other interested individuals should contact their local library - the items may be available there, or
may be borrowed by your local library on your behalf.

[“Although criminal justice, health, and domestic violence experts believe that valid and reliable estimates have the potential to be of use to policy makers, service providers, and researchers, there are concerns that current crime statistics do not provide a full assessment of the problem.... Since 2001, the amount of national research that has been conducted on the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual assault has been limited, and even less research has been conducted on dating violence and stalking. No single, comprehensive effort currently exists that provides nationwide statistics on the prevalence of these four categories of crime among men, women, youth, and children."]

[“A report contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion.... California is responsible for more than a third of the cannabis harvest, with an estimated production of $13.8 billion that exceeds the value of the state's grapes, vegetables and hay combined. The report estimates that marijuana production has increased tenfold in the past quarter century despite an exhaustive anti-drug effort by law enforcement. Gettman argues that the data support a push to begin treating cannabis like tobacco and alcohol by legalizing and reaping a tax windfall from it, while controlling production and distribution to better restrict use by teenagers.” Los Angeles Times (December 18, 2006) 1.]

[“According to a report, women are living longer and make up 44% of the county workforce — but they remain poorer than their male counterparts. Most striking is that 40% of the estimated 88,000 homeless people in the county are women and children. [The report] paints a picture of women beset by a complex set of problems: poor educational training for today's better-paying jobs, low wages and a dwindling stock of affordable housing.... Also, ‘child care is a make-or-break issue for working women; half of women make less than what they need in order to afford child care.’ “ Los Angeles Times (November 30, 2006) 1.]

["Women have made dramatic economic progress throughout the United States, especially since the 1960s. Yet, women have fared much better in some states than in others, and in no state do women fare as well economically as men.... Women are more likely than men to be employed in managerial or professional jobs and to have health insurance coverage. At the same time, women still earn less, are less likely to have a Bachelor’s or professional degree, or to own a business, and are more likely to live in poverty than men
across the states.... The states with the worst economies for women are Arkansas, Louisiana, and West Virginia.... the best jurisdictions for women economically in 2006 are the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Massachusetts."]

[“While the nation's gross domestic product grew by an inflation-adjusted 36.6 percent from 1994 to 2004, the nonprofit sector's revenues increased 61.5 percent, according to a new compendium of nonprofit facts. The sector's expenses and assets grew at an even faster pace: 62.6 and 90.7 percent, respectively.” Publisher's Announcement (October 26, 2006) 1.]

["The report calculated that the California wine industry has an annual impact of $51.8 billion on the state's economy, and an economic impact of $103 billion on the U.S. economy.... California has about 85% of the U.S. market for 'premium' wines -- 74% of California's wines are sold in other states inside of the U.S." California Capitol Hill Bulletin (December 15, 2006) 1.]

["For the 2000-01 group of transfer students into the
CSU: 21.8% graduated within two years of transferring into the system...For the 2000-01 group of transfer students into the UC: 44.2% graduated within two years of transferring into the UC...The transfer function is an important component of access in California higher education: many students cannot afford the average annual cost of attendance at a CSU or UC campus, which is in excess of $20,000. Every additional term of enrollment increases these costs and puts degree attainment at risk. Documenting the time it takes community college transfer students to graduate from the CSU and UC provides one perspective on how well the transfer function is working, in terms of cost and success."]

[“This report uses data from the National Household Surveys Program to present trends that focus on the use of and users of public schools (assigned and chosen), private schools (church- and non church-related), and homeschoolers between 1993 and 2003. The percentage of students enrolled in their assigned public school decreased from 80 percent to 74 percent between 1993 and 2003. This report also presents data on parental perceptions of public school choice availability and associations between the public and private school types children were enrolled in and parental satisfaction with and involvement in the schools.”]

[“The state's teachers' unions are calling for extra pay for teachers in high-poverty schools, marking the first time that the unions have banded together behind a new type of teacher pay. Union officials say teachers in high-poverty schools deserve extra pay because they generally work longer hours and serve more challenging students. Union leaders said they still oppose merit pay, which links teacher pay to student test scores, or paying math and science teachers more than others because educators in those subjects are in demand. But they said the incentives could draw experienced teachers to high-poverty schools. They said the incentives are part of a broader union proposal to close the achievement gap between wealthy and disadvantaged students.” Boston Globe (November 30, 2006) 1.]

["The number of underqualified instructors teaching children in California's public schools has dropped by more than half since 2000. But with nearly 18,000 still in the classroom, there is no guarantee the state can comply with a federal law requiring only 'highly qualified' teachers in the classrooms by an approaching deadline this school year. Nor will California be able to place a credentialed, experienced teacher in each classroom with low-income students of color, as required by a 2004 legal settlement and by the federal No Child Left Behind Act." San Francisco Chronicle (December 6, 2006) C1.]

["State officials won another legal battle over the California energy crisis when the courts ordered U.S. regulators to take a fresh look at long-term electricity contracts signed at the height of the crisis. The decision gives the state another crack at an estimated $1.4 billion in refunds.... FERC said it didn't have authority to order changes in long-term contracts. The appeals court said, however, that FERC must examine whether the contract prices were appropriate." Sacramento Bee (December 20, 2006) D1.]

[“The plan is the state's strategy for responding to an energy emergency.... An energy emergency can be caused by natural disasters (such as earthquake, fire, or flood) or geopolitical events (such as war, terrorism, civil disturbance, or embargo). The plan is intended to lessen the potential adverse impacts of an energy emergency by providing the Governor, Legislature, and policy makers with accurate and timely information for decision making. “]

["Conventional valuation techniques fail to include many of the financial advantages of clean energy technologies. By omitting benefits associated with risk management, emissions reductions, policy incentives, resource use, corporate social responsibility, and societal economic benefits, investors and firms sacrifice opportunities for new revenue streams and avoided costs. In an effort to identify some of these externalities, this analysis develops a total value proposition for clean energy technologies. It incorporates a series of values under each of the above categories, describing the opportunities for recapturing investments throughout the value chain."]

["The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed a federal environmental agency's findings of a particularly dangerous kind of asbestos on playgrounds in El Dorado Hills.... The investigation found that most of those particles did not conform to the traditional commercial definition of asbestos. The microscopic bits of minerals nonetheless were within scientists' widely accepted range of sizes, shapes and chemical compositions counted as 'asbestos' for health studies, USGS scientists said." Sacramento Bee (December 20, 2006) B1.]

["California's Indian tribes, which have poured millions of dollars into political battles, lost an effort to be protected from campaign disclosure laws when the court ruled they can be sued for violations despite their status as sovereign nations.... Courts have granted tribes immunity from most types of lawsuits in state court, in recognition of their sovereignty and need for self-government. But the justices said the tribes' status was outweighed in this case by the state's constitutional authority to maintain a 'republican form of government' free from corruption.... The tribe could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has consistently curbed states' attempts to take tribes to court." San Francisco Chronicle (December 22, 2006) 1.]

["A new report shows that public users of the California courts hold generally high levels of confidence in state courts and have a high regard for judges.... Finding a good, affordable attorney is the main barrier preventing Californians from taking a case to court. As a result, there has been a rise in the number of self-represented litigants in court, which has led to court delays and drains on court resources, according to judicial branch members.... Court users and branch members agree that the courts need more interpreters. Continuing to strive for more diversity on the bench would strengthen confidence in the courts among minorities, according to the focus group participants." Judicial Council Press Release (December 4, 2006) 1.]

[“Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger described plans to create an independent body to draw California's political districts every decade, a cause often more popular with government watchdogs than voters. The governor's proposal would establish a redistricting commission of 11 voters who have not served recently in public office or party organizations -- or worked as lobbyists. The constitutional amendment would rely heavily on local election officials to form a pool of potential commissioners while giving legislative leaders some veto ability.” Sacramento Bee (December 6, 2006) p. A4.]

[“One in five children has a diagnosable mental disorder.... Children and youth from low-income households
are at increased risk for mental health problems.... Most children and youth with mental health problems do not receive needed services.... Mental health services and supports vary depending on the state in which a child or youth with mental health needs lives.... Latino children and youth are less likely to receive services for their mental health problems than children and youth of other ethnic groups.”]

[“Hospice is an approach to caring for terminally ill patients that stresses palliative care…. This report provides a snapshot of hospice utilization, costs, and quality in California from 1996 through 2004. Key findings include: more than 88,000 Californians sought hospice services in 2004, a 93 percent increase from the 46,000 who used hospice in 1996; fifty percent of hospice patients were over 80 years old; one in four hospice patients sought care during the last five days of their lives; and Medicare paid for 82 percent of hospice care, averaging $6,500 per patient, almost $1,500 less than the national average.”]

["California is among the states least prepared for a deadly pandemic flu or other health disaster, according to a national report card.... Forty-six states ranked higher than California, which the report said would run out of hospital beds within two weeks during a moderate pandemic flu outbreak. In addition, the state is not well-prepared to distribute vaccines and medical supplies from the national stockpile. The ranking was the state's worst showing in the four years the report has been issued." Los Angeles Times (December 13, 2006) B8.

["When it comes to child welfare in Contra Costa County, geography and skin color make a big difference.... Lately, county welfare officials have pushed to change that with programs designed to keep more black children in their homes and out of foster care. But some county social workers say moves to correct the imbalance come with a price -- pressure to apply a lower standard of safety in those homes.... County welfare officials dismiss that idea, saying their goal is equal treatment. That means overcoming racial biases among caseworkers. Some child welfare scholars see racial or cultural bias as a key reason that reports of child maltreatment more often lead black children into foster care, and why they stay longer."]

["Of the estimated 286 million non-institutionalized civilians living in the United States in 2003, approximately 44 million, or 15.4 percent, participated in one or more major assistance programs -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, General Assistance, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and Housing assistance.... In 2003, people who were employed full-time had an average monthly participation rate of 4.3 percent and received a median monthly family benefit of $224; in comparison, people who were unemployed had an average monthly participation rate of 25.0 percent and median monthly benefits of $278.... Children under 18 years old, whose average monthly participation rate was 28.2 percent, received a median monthly family benefit of $286, higher than the $105 for those 65 and older, whose average monthly participation rate was 12.3 percent."]

[The following studies, reports, and documents have been ordered or requested,
but have not yet arrived. Requests may be placed, and copies will be provided
when the material arrives.]

ECONOMY

BUSINESS FORECASTS

California Economic Growth. By the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy. (The Center, Palo Alto, California) 2006.

[“California's job market is expected to expand faster than the rest of the country, a new report says, and analysts believe the East Bay and the rest of the Bay Area could nestle into the vanguard of that growth. Much of the expansion will occur in industries that require a ‘knowledge-based’ work force. ‘Exciting new possibilities exist in areas such as stem cell research, alternative energy technologies, and Internet applications.’” Oakland Tribune (November 15, 2006) 1.]

["The book reviews policy in four critical areas affecting local governments: education and school readiness; substance abuse; youth development; and family support programs.... It discusses four critical forces affecting children and family policy: families; race and culture; communities and neighborhoods; and regionalism. The book includes fifteen strategic roles that local government can play -- most of which do not require direct funding, but depend upon the scarce resource of leadership." Publisher's Announcement (December 2006) 1.]